Study Abroad Program possibilities starting to open up again

About 40 Purdue University Fort Wayne students will be packing soon to study abroad this summer on faculty-led programs in Italy, Ireland, or Spain, and in smaller groups to France, Greece, and Germany. Another 10 students studied abroad for a semester during the current academic year.

But those numbers should dramatically increase soon after taking a big hit during the harshest effects of the COVID pandemic.

“It closed down everything so they are coming back now,” said John Jensen, recently hired as PFW’s Study Abroad Program and National Student Exchange director. “It’s really an interesting time because you are seeing students want to get started again, but there’s a little bit of hesitance. For two years, everybody was still applying because we didn’t know when it was going to open up, and then we had to crush their dreams and cancel. Finally, these students get to go.”

Jensen has worked in international education for 20 years, including the last 10 as director of the study abroad program at Ball State University. He’s also worked at the National University of Singapore, Michigan State University, and the Institute of International Education in Bangkok, Thailand.

“People in this field have not been able to meet with their partners in years, and that face-to-face time is invaluable,” Jensen said. “I’ll have to see when I can start meeting with our partners here across campus so they can get to know me, and those from universities overseas. It’s going to be a lot of meetings.”

Jensen said students hoping to study abroad should meet with him at least a year in advance to start making plans, handle everything correctly, and have the opportunity to pick the best program for them.

“It looks scary, and it is scary until you do it and realize it’s not that hard,” Jensen said. “If you have even the slightest interest, reach out early, and it’s not terribly difficult. I’m not doing this, the students are doing it, but I’m showing them a path. My goal is to let students know anyone can do it if they put in the time and have some flexibility.”

But why is studying abroad such a great opportunity for students?

“It is so important because it takes students out of their comfort zones and makes them aware there are different ways of achieving the same results,” Jensen said. “You are challenged every day, and you come back and realize there are different ways of doing things, and that’s so important. Anyone who has spent any time overseas realizes they are a changed person when they come back.”